Dusting machine



June 19, 1928. 7 1,674,391

A. L. DUNNAGAN DUSTING MACHINE Filed Aug. 24, 1926 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 lli W v...

INVEN TOR.

A TTORNE Y.

June 16, 19 28.

UNITED STATES PATENT ormca.

man! In. 11mm. 01 DALLAS, um

nusrme momma Application at August M, 1m. mm m- 131,100..

vide an economical and wholly eflicient machine for the purpose of thoroughly dusting insect infested vegetation with a poisonous mixture in powder form.

The invention further comprehends a machine of the character designated which is capable of discharging a cloud of such poison, and consequently adapted to thoroughly dust an area of indefimte scope, and as a consequence, economy in both time and expense is realized.

A further object of the invention resides in the gravity feeding arrangement, materially aided b an improved feed valve, and draft created by suction fan therebelow, into which the oisonous powder filters.preparatory to belng discharged thereby, such an arran ement insuring positive and uniform distri ution.

With these principal objects in view, the invention consists further of lesser objects, as well as its salient features of construction and assembly of arts, by which the said objects are attain and which will be manifested in the following detail description and illustrated in the appended drawings, wherein,

Flgure 1 represents a front view of the improved dusting machine.

Figure 2 is a left side view.

Figure 3 is a top plan view of the invention.

Figure 4 is a detail view, partly in section of the improved feeding valve.

Figure 5 illustrates the dusting machine, showing the supporting frame arranged for organization with a tractor, and

Figure 6 is a modified example of the supporting frame as applied to a tractor of a different type.

It may be stated in continuing with the invention that other machines and apparatus have heretofore been contrived for dusting insect infested vegetation with poisonous powders and other compositions with an efl:'ort to exterminate the insects, and in which a powder hopper, discharge fan and spout are the component elements. The

present invention, although employing these elements in its assembly,-has arran d the elements in such a way as to constan y filter the wder in Bus nded quantities into the disc arge fan, an durinhg such action, the powder is being thoroug y agitated to prevent possible packing, a characteristic of powder of this nature. A suction is created behind the discharge fan, which constantly aids the natural gravity flow and ur es the powder into the ischarge fan, there y preventing accumulation of powder at points in the fan housing where ordinarily no air currents netrate.

VVln e it is not intended that the invention be restricted as to a suitable transporting. means, two different types of well known tractors are shown, whereb to comprehen- 'sively illustrate a prefera le mounting in each case. In Figure 5, a channel ironsuport 2 is employed, which is substantially lted to the transmission housing of the tractor, extends forward and is elevated somewhat at the approximate front of the radiator as shown, providing a suitable platform, upon which is bolted or otherwise suitably secured a frame 3. In this particular view, that part of the structure above the frame 3 is adapted to be rotatable with respectto the lower elements, and to attain such rotation, an angle iron ring 4 is riveted to the frame 3, while a similar conforming ring 5 is snugl retained by the former ring in rotatable re ationshi as illustrated. The ring 5 is afiixed to -a an housing 6 immediately thereabove, which in turn supports the material hopper 7 through legs 8.

While no material departure from the other views shown exists in the structure just described, aside from the rotating feature of the hopper and fan, the same reference characters will be used to denote corresponding parts of the other views.

In Figures 1, 2 and 6, the fan housing 6 is shown as being aflixed directly upon the frame 3, and in so doing the arrangement shown at 4 and 5 on Figure 6 is dispensed with. The conventional vertical bladed fan 9 is rotatably mounted within the housin 6, as particularly apparent in Figures 2 an 6, and has therebelow an integral conical disc 10, to deflect the material which might otherwise pass throu h the fan and escape the current created t ereby.

A discharge spout 11 is formed upon the fan hous' and is so arranged through a conventio i igl elbow joint as to be directed at right angles to the directionv of travel or may if desired, be removed and the el W dispensed with so as to discharge the commodity directly in front of the machine. A suitable support 12 is arranged u n the frame 2, upon which the lateral discharge pi e rests.

Ylet-urning now to the discharge fan; a vertical shaft 13 extends unrestrlctedly from the to of the hopper 7, where it is mounted in a aring 14, to a conventional automobile differential 15, to which reference will be later made. It is to this shaft 13 that the fan 4 is aflixed.

It will be observed in Figures 2 and 6 that the bottom of the hopper 7 is of funnel shape to insure convergence of material toward the filteri point, which, as apparent in the figures re erred to is controlled by a cone shaped valve 16, illustrated in detail In Figure 4. An expansion spring 17 is interposed betweenthe valve 16 and a collar 18 adjacent the fan 9, the purpose of which is to urge the feed yalv'e 16 normally in snug contact with its conforming seat, formed at the filtering oint in the bottom of the ho per 7. It be noted in Figure 4 thatt e valve 16 has limited vertical movement on the shaft 13, and a key 19 occupies Jointly, channels both in the shaft 13 and the interior of the valve in' order that the valve may be constrained from rotativemovement on the shaft 13. Adjustment of this movement is attained through a collar 20 abovethe valve, accordingl with the density of the material being hanifled.

It will be understood that the resiliency of the spring 17 will permit the cone valve 16 to yield to the slightest ur e, and since it is constantly rotatin the ust contained in the hopper-7 is si ed through the annular crevice around the valve, although the latter is snugly fitting in its seat. Not infrequently, the commodity becomes lumpy through dampness, and it is for this purpose that the valve is constructed to yield, i. e. to pulverize these hardened particles and those that are of such hardness as to make it difficult for the valve to pulverize them, they are permitted to ass the latter to prevent clogging of the discharge elements of the machine. Moreover, such forei pebbles, nuts, bolts and the li e articles as d a ready escape past the valve before they are permitted to impair the mechanism or hinder the performance of the machine.

Where it is desired to emplo the machine for the purpose of distributing fertilizer, which is composed of coarserand harder particles, the collar 20 may be moved downward against the'valve and against the resistance of the spring 17, thus placing the valve in approximately the position s own n Figure 2. It may require somewhat:

greater pressure to displace the valve due-to the compressed condition of the spring, but

it is still capable of yielding to the valve, so

as toenable the latter to pass particles of greater size thanfmaterial in process of distribution. It is therefore obvious that the yieldability of the spring is always adjustable. according to: thecourseness of the material passed through the valve.

In addition to the several radially arranged a itator arms 21, agitation of thematerial in the hopper is accomplished by an inverted cone-shaped hood 22 situated directl above the valve 16, provided with outwar ly directed fingers 23. The cone 22 and its fingers 23 are more for'the purpose of controlling the flow of material than as an a itator, while the arms 21, turned by the aft 13, keep the material constantly agisuction behind the filtered material is ob-.

tained, such suction entering between the flange of the member 26 and the bottom of the material hopper 7.

Below the frame 3 are suspended hangers 24, carry' bearings 25, the latter supporting the en of the difl'erential housing 15. This latter element is composed, as stated previousl of. a structure embodying an automobi e rear axle and differential drive, the ends being one of the ends of the'protruding axle a drive pulle 27 is applied, over which a belt 28 passes, t e latter surrounding the tractor drive 29. As apparent in Figure 3, a plan view, the frame 3 is arranged throu h slots 3 in the support 2, to have limited ongitudinal movement with respect to the said support to provide a tightening means for the belt 28. While this differential serves the purpose to which it is applied very nicely, it, is nptjiidecessf ar d ted e empofj, or t e purpose esigna as other modified forms of drive may be contrived toyop'erate quite as successfully.

In operation, the hop r 7 is filled with a poisonous powder of a predetermined strength,'and as the wind is a considerable factor in the adeguate performance of the machine, the win direction is determined and the nozzle is turned in order that the discharge will be with the wind. The usual discharge without the aid of the wind is approximately between fifty and one hundred feet, and aided by the wind, the cloud of reduced in length, and upon I that this arrangement 7 poisonous powder discharged is carried thereby over a large area tosettle upon the vegetation without material waste,

in some instances. the invention has been proven of uncstimablc benefitin spreading fertilizer, and in this regard is aided considerably by the capability of the filtering valve 16 of adjusting itself to the material being handled irrespective of its density. it has been found that more effective results may be obtained by removing the elbow in the disc! urge line and applying the nozzle it directly upon the fan housing in order that the discharge will be directed in line with the path of travel.

it is clearly apparent that regardless of the material handled, uniformity of discharge is attained and consequently thorough distril'iution the result.

Manifestly, the construction shown and described is capable of considerable modification, and such u'iodilication as is within the scope of the appended claims is eonsidered within the spirit and intent of the invention.

I claim:

1. A powder dusting machine having a powder hopper provided with a discharge opening: a fan housing below said opening having a discharge spout; a fan mounted in said housing; a shaft vertically positioned within said fan housing and hopper: a valve carried by said shaft and arranged to operatively control said discharge opening,

- said valve arranged for movement on said shaft; a collar above said valve; an expanszle spring below said valve whereby to permit the latter to yield to the material passing through said discharge opening; and means to admit air to the suction end of the fan adjacent said discharge opening.

2. A dusting apparatus including a powder hopper having a discharge opening; a shaft extending through said hopper and carrying a plurality of agitating fingers; an inverted conical valve in control of said discharge opening also carried by said shaft and capable of vertical movement with respect to said shaft and opening; means carried by the shaft to limit such movement; means below the valve urging the latter toward the limiting means and permitting the valve to automatically yield to the material passing thereby; an encased fan supported below said valve and provided with a discharge spout, and an air intake means arranged adjacent to said hopper discharge opening and communicating with said fan casing; i

3. A dusting machine including a fan housing; a hopper supported above said fen housing having a discharge opening; a vertical shaft extending through said hopper and fan housing; a fan carried by said shaft in said fan housing; a moving valve carried also by said shaft and arranged to 0peratively enter the discharge openingfof said hopper, means to permit said valve to yieldingly move to and away from said opening according to the coarseness of material passing thereby, and an air intake arranged adjacent said valve and communicating with said fan housing.

In testimony whereof I affix my signature.

ALBERT L. DUNNAGAN. 

